Amnesty International Press Release
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Amnesty International Reveals Details of Deadly Raid on Political Party Headquarters in Ivory Coast, Leaving One Dead and 16 Wounded
Political Allies of Alassane Ouattara Say Security Forces Fired Live Bullets Inside Headquarters in Abidjan
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, 212-633-4150, [email protected]
(London) — Amnesty International today called on Côte d’Ivoire security forces to stop attacks on political opponents as new information was revealed about a deadly raid on political allies of Alassane Ouattara, the internationally recognized winner of the presidential election.
Amnesty International was told that one person was killed, 16 wounded and 63 arrested by several dozen security forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo, in a 5:00 am raid Tuesday of the Abidjan headquarters of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), the country’s former ruling party.
Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that security forces fired live bullets at those inside the building and several people were beaten. Amnesty International received a credible report today that none of the wounded people detained during the raid had yet received medical treatment.
Outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo has agreed on unconditional negotiations to resolve the political stalemate following December’s election.
“No political solution to the current crisis in Côte d’Ivoire can be lasting unless it ensures full respect for human rights and the restoration of the rule of law” said Salvatore Saguès, Amnesty International’s West Africa researcher. “Security forces should be called to account for carrying out enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial executions of their political opponents,”
A female eyewitness to the raid told Amnesty International: “Some of us were praying when we heard security forces enter the room. They looked everywhere and found nothing. Then they asked some of our young leaders to leave the room and accompany them outside where they were beaten with clubs. Some people protested, and security forces entered. I went to hide myself in a corner and saw security forces throwing tear grenades in the room and firing at us.”
One party member, Karim Sidibé, was killed as a result of the gunfire. A person who was beside him, who cannot be identified for security reasons, said: “They fired point blank at us, they hit me on the foot and hit Karim on the stomach. The bullet went through him. I went to see him but he was already dead.”
Officials from the Ministry of the Interior loyal to Laurent Gbagbo said on Ivorian TV yesterday that the raid followed reports of complaints from neighboring residents of “acts of vandalism and theft” by activists close to Alassane Ouatarra. They also said that one person had been killed but “was dressed in a traditional hunter outfit and carried a knife,” and that he had threatened police officers before being killed.
Those arrested are set to be presented today to a investigating judge to face five different charges including robbery, assault and destruction of private property.
Amnesty International is calling for the unconditional release of these detainees and for immediate access to medical care for those who have been ill-treated and wounded, said Saguès.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
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